Cloth-folding machine



Jan. 20, 1925- i 1,523,598

- w. l. LEWIS CLoTH FOLDING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1922 2 Shouts-Sheet l Jan. 20, 1925- 1,523,598

w. l. LEwls yCLOTH FOLDING MACHINE Filed May 51, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fay. .57.

[ni/enfor- Za'ness: @Arm CSW @zza/z fis/2X6' y Patented dan. 219, M9225 rarest orifice.

'WILLARD I. LE'WSS, OE VLPOLE, JLESSACHUSETTS.

CLOTH-FOLNG MACHINE.

' Application filed May si,

To a?? 107mm 'aft may (foncer/n:

Be it known that l. lllinnnnn Lewis, a citizen of the United States, residing at ll/valpole, in the county of Norfolk, State of ilassachusetts. have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cloth-Folding Machines. of which the following is a specitication, reference being` had therein to the accompanying drawings.

ldy invention relates to cloth-folding machines. and in particular to the means employed in a machine of such class for operating the movable jaws of the pairs of foldholding` jaws that are located at the opposite sides of the table on which the cloth is folded.

(lne main object of the invent-ion is to provide improved means for applying' and controlling the pressure by which the respective pairs of jaws are closed upon the folds. l attain this object by providing power-.pressure devices and a novel organi- .zation of parts for controlling and trans-- niitting the pressure, ete. A preferred mode of earryino` this object into effect is by means of fluid-pressure, for instance by compressed air.

Another main object of the invention is to provide an improved manner for relieving at the respective sides of the folding table, alternately, the grasping pressure of the pair of jaws between which a fold is to be inserted. to facilitate the entrance of a folding blade and the newly formed fold between the said jaws. I attain such object by providing novel relief means. A preferred mode of carrying this object into effect is by utilizing for the purpose of slightly separating` the jaws of the pair at either side otI the table, the movable jaw of the pair at the other side as a fulcrum or abutment, and vice versa.

.in illustrative embodiment of the features of the invention is shown in the aeconnninying` drawings, in which latter,-

llig. l is a view of a cloth-folding machine ot' a well-known type in extensive use containing vthe said illustrative embodiment, the view being in section on line l, l, of Fig. 2.

2 is a plan view thereof, with the table and the parts above the table omitted.

Fig. 8 is a view lookingfrom the righthand side in Figs. l and 2, showing chiefly pressure organization of said @figures 1.922. Serial No. 564,808.

The machine shown in the drawings comd prises, as usual, opposite stationary jaws 5, and an intermediate verticallyv movable folding table il having combined with the opposite edges thereof movable jaws G, 6, which co-act with the stationary jaws 5, 5, in holding` the folds at the ends of the layers of cloth which are laid upon the said table. The machine comprises also, a pair of folding' blades mounted upon the upper ends of radius arms 2l, 2l, swinging around pivotal centers at their lower ends, with the said radius arms operatively connected by means of connecting rods 19, 19, with cranks 20, 20, on an actuating shaft 2. whereby the folding blades are reciprocated back and forth above the table, in this instance all being as usual. rlhe said pair of folding blades have combined therewith,

usual. rods 22, 22, working in guidesleeves 221, 221, which are pivotally mounted in an elevated position upon upstanding brackets 229, 229, rising` from the main frame of the machine. The said rods and guide-sleeves control the pair of folding blades in well-known manner by causing the blades to rock as they are carried back and forth above the table 4, so as to cause them to act alternately in pushing folds of the cloth m in between the jaws of the pairs of jaws at the opposite sides of the table.

ln this illustrative embodiment, the respective movable jaws G. 6, substantially as heretofore, are connected b v means of links 235. 535, to arms 34, 3.4., fixed on rockshafts 9,3, located below the said jaws, one jaw 6 being connected by means of certain of such links with the arms 34, 34. of one of the said rockshafts, and the other jaw 6 being connected by certain of the links with the arms of the other rockshaft. The connection of the links with the movable jaws 6, 6.. is effected in this instance through pivotal engagement of the upper ends of such links with brackets 36, 36, attached to said jaws.

ln the place of the strong springs which in machines heretofore in use in the art are combined with the respective rockshafts, for the purpose of pressing` the table upward and causing the movable jaws to be pressed toward the stationary ones, and of the camf actuated pawl and ratchet mechanism employed in such machines for relieving the pressure of the movable j alternately,

A iiXed'armLBQof-one rocks'haft 33 is. con-V nected by means of a link 31 with Yan up.- standing arm of a bell-crank 24, and a similar arm 32 of the otherrockshaft is connected by a link 31 with an upstanding arm of a bell-crank 25. The bell-cranks 24, 25, and the connectionsbetween the same and the movable jaws 6, 6, serverprimarily for'the transmission of power, applied to such bell-cranks, to the movable jaws 6, 6, tofurge them toward the stationary jaws 5, 5. They serve secondarily in relieving the pressure of the. said movable jaws toward the said stationary jaws. Y

The means and manner of applying power to the bell-cranks for the upholding of the table 4landthe production of the pressure of the movable'jaws 6, 6, may vary inxpra'ctice,in the case ofthe broader phases of the invention. In accordance with one part the invent-ion Il utilize a single source of pressure. In the present instance, fluidpressure means is provided, comprising Va Vcylinder 8 containing a piston(- that is connectedJby means of a rod V17 with horizontal arms of the bell-cranks 24;, 25. The upper endof the rod 17 carries a pin '23 engaging the-said arms, one of the` latter being longitudinally Vslotted as shown in Fig. 1 to permit the sliding play which is necessary in orderv to compensate for the opposite curvature of the arcs 1n which the two arms vibrate.

` llhen pressure is admitted into the cylinder 8 behindY (below) the piston 7, it is trans-r mitted' by rod 171 to the bell cranks, and from` the latter throughI the intermediate parts to which reference has been vmade to the'-mofvable jaws 6, 6, at opposite edges of table '4,

The fluid pressuremedium which is employed preferably is compressedr air, The Huid-pressure medium, is suppliedy tov the cylinder througha pipe 12 communicating withthe lower end of thexcylinder, the flow of air being controlled by means ofa threeway" valve ,9 having a rotating valve-mem- Y ber."A Forfthe manual actuation of the 'said valve-member, I provide the valve-member wir-tha valve-layer 10j, and connect the latter means ofv a rod'll with" almanuallyoperatjd member, which in this instance is an' upstan'dingarm 13 on a rock-shaft 1&1 havingconnected' therewith a treadle ll lhen sidewise out of engagement with the shoulderz otv the detent V1,6, a spring 18; will aotuate the parts, including the rotating.valve-member, reversely so as to shut off and relieve the air pressure, and, thereby relieve the pressure entirely at'both'ipairs of jaws, allowing thelatter and the table to descend.

VThis action provides for the lowering of the table for the removal of folded cloth therefrom. Subsequent raising of the tab-le again is effected, without any exertion or strainonV vthe operator, when` treadle 15 is depressed by the foot of the operator so as to admit air to the cylinder belowthe piston. i i

The utilization of lair as a pressure-applying medium ys ecures an elastic or yielding action which, without the use of springs,

movable jaw and the companion stationary i 'This relief action isprovided for by means independent of the folding means for effecting alternate application ofthe said pressure and relief thereof-at the opposite pairs of'jaws in proper correlation with the action of the folding means.Y i I This'portion of thefinvention is based upon the broadprinciples of utilizing either movable jaw, while it is in contact with 'the companion stationary jaw or kthe clothfolds Vthat arek interposed between it and suc-hI stationary jaw, asY a fulcrum or abutment for the parts lmore immediately involved in relieving the pressure of the opposite movable jaw from the, corresponding stationary jawor the interposed cloth-folds. I have embodied such principle in Lthe illustrat-ive"embodimentof the invention by arranging for movement bodily of the bellcranks 24, 25, simultaneously with the foldlaying movement of the folding blades, but in the opposite direction. y

I securey the desired bodily movement of pivots 26,` 26, movably,V and automatically causing movements of the said pivots whereby the vrecpiired'action is secured, The said pivots are located in the present .instance at the upper ends of radius arms 30,V 80, which in turn are mounted pivotally at. their lower ends with capacity Ito swing in a direction atright angles with the length of the jaws. These radius arms aregrouped in two pairs. onepair forthe support of'one bell-crank, and the other pair for the support of the the bell-cranks by suuporting the bellcrank Y other bell-crank.

The two pairs are connected together by means of side-bars 28, 29, so that both pairs swing in unison. The swinging movement is produced by means of a cam 3T upon shaft 2, working between the branches of the forked upper end of an arm 38 rising from a supporting rockshaft 39 that is mounted in the lower portion of the machine frame. The said arm 38 has connected to it at 40 one end of a link il having its other end connected at 42 to an extension of the. side-bar 29, so that as the cam 37 swings the arm 38 the required movement is communicated from such arm to the radius arms and bell-cranks.

rlhis bodily movement of the bell-cranks in the direction opposite that of the stroke of the folding blades operates with the efir'ect of causing the movable jaw of the pair ot' jaws toward which the movement of the bell-cranks is made to take firmer bearing against the stationary jaw, and has the reliex action of relieving` the pressure of the movable jaw of the pair of jaws toward which the folding blades move.

Movement of the radius-arni's and bellcranks toward the left in Fig. l will act through bell-crank 24- and the connections to the left-hand movable jaw 6 to cause the latter to take lirm bearing, while the reflex actions from the firmly backed-up left-hand movable jaw through the said connections and bell-crank will operate to influence the bell-crank 25 and the connections therefrom to the right-hand movable jaw 6 so as to pull the latter downward away from the adjacent stationaryv jaw, to facilitate the entrance of a folding blade l and cloth fold between the latter two jaws. Conversely, bodily movement of the radius-arms and the bell-cranks supported thereby toward the right-hand side in Figs. l and 2 will reverse the action in the case of the respective pairs of jaws 5 and 6. ln principle, the pressure transmitting means comprises a lever-arrangement by which the pressure is transmitted along different lines to the respective pairs of jaws, and the cam 87, etc.. constitute devices actuating the said lever-arrangement to relieve the holding pressure at the opposite pairs of jaws alternately.

The illustrated construction and arrangement constitutes a mechanism in which the j :iw-operating pressure is transmitted along diverging lines to the respective pairs of jaws from the point of connection with the source of pressure. Also in which the transmitting means is actuated through devices connecting with such means at or adjacent the point of convergence of the lines referred to, to relieve the holding pressure at the opposite pairs of jaws alternately,

The employment of manually controlled. Huid-pressure devices in connecton with the movable aws and folding table is of marked advantage, Not only is a yielding action of the movable jaws secured without the employment of springs, but by reason of the possiblity of entirely relieving the pressure by opening the controlling valve, so as to permit the table to descend, the operator is relieved of the necessity existing in the ease el" machines at present in use for exerting considerable strengtlh, as well as applying her full weight, to a treadle in order to depress it and thereby wind up the stift' springs which in such machines are employed to hold the movable jaws pressed toward their co-acting stationary jaws. A strong and heavy operator is no longer required to operate cloth-folding machines, as my said fluid-pressure devices operate automatically at a light touch ot' the footupon the controlling treadle.

The illustrated arrangement utilizes the conventional treadle now in use on clotht'olding machines, in order that my devices may be applied to such machines with the least departure from what the operators are accustomed to; however, it is within the scope and contemplation of my invention to utilize any other suitable form of control for the flow of the fluid-pressure medium into and out of the cylinder 8.

Stated now in general terms7 in its entirely my invention comprises a new and improved means of actuating the folding table from a single power-actuated source of pressure, (which in the present embodiment consists in a piston driven by compressed air, or it might be other fluid-pressure,) and novel means for effecting alternate application and relief of the pressure at the two sides of the table in proper correlation with the. action of the folding-blades; it also comprises Ycontrolling devices for governing the actuation of the folding table such that the said table may be lifted into its operating position or lowered into the posit-ion necessary for the removal .of the folded cloth without the exertion of any manual effort.

In .the connection last mentioned, important considerations are that heretofore the operator of cloth-folding machines has been subject to strain, fatigue, and injurious effects resulting from having to reinstate at intervals, by manual effort the considerable degree of spring tension by means of which the movable folding table is held against the cloth-engaging jaws, a yrelaxation of said spring tension being necessary from time to time in the course of a working day, in order to permit the table to descend. to provide for the removal of the accumulated layers of cloth piled thereon. ,lifter every such relaxation the spring tension has to be reinstated in order to provide for further folding, and this resetting required the manual actuation of a lever or treadle which is so, combined and connected with the said springs that its movement will, increase the spring tension. rllhrough the devicesof my invention, I ,relieve the operator off a cloth said means having capacity for relaxation binationV with of such pressure atV the required times, and a controlling-device through which the operator may at will callV the said powerdriven automatidmeans into action to Yproduce such pressure. j

I= show and: describev herein an illustrative embodiment of the invention comprising fluid-pressure devices; while' the use of fluidi-.pressure has practical advantages, the invention. in some of its phases is not restricted to thesey precise devices-.orto the employment of; fluid-pressure.

The invention, in. its broader phases, is not restricted` to. the particular mode of; embodiment shown in the drawings hereof.

l/Vhat isV claimed as the invention is',-

1. In a cloth-fielding machine, the combination with oppositely-located stationary cloth-retaining: jaws, and" movable cloth-retaining jaws cooperating: with the stationary jaws, ofaf single fluid-pressure. actuated source of pressure,- and trains of: transmitting devices extending separatelytqthe respective'movablejaws so as to press them yieldingly toward the stationary'ones. n

2. In a ,cloth-.folding machine, thecombination w-ith stationary cloth-retaining `jaws and a movabletable having cloth-retaining aws, ofia-single power-driven source of pressure, means for transmittingv such pressure toboth ends of the table so as to press the said ends yieldingly toward the stationary holding jaws, and manually-controlled means for governingv the'said powerdrivensource of pressure to yieldingly upholdr the tablev orA lower the same, as: re-

`- quired,I at. will. Y

3. In a cloth-foldingmachine, the comstationarycloth-retaining jaws and a. movable table having cloth-retaining jaws, of av single fluid-pressure actuated source of pressure, meansforntransmit- `ting such pressure tothe table so as to press the movable jaws yieldingly toward the. stationary vholding jaws, and manually-icontrolled means for governing thefluid-pressure so as to yieldingly uphold the table or lower the same, as required, at'will.

'4. In a cloth-folding machine, the combination with folding blades,V stationary cloth-retaining jaws, and'movable vcloth-retaining jaws, of asing-lesource of pressure,

means-for transmittingY such pressure-to both movable jaws .s o 4,as topress them toward:A the fixed holding jaws, and meansindepend.- ent off the folding *meansv for'effecting alter- Haltel applicationA andprelief of the saidpressureat the said twoI movable jaws in proper correlation with the action Aof the. folding blades. Y 5, In a cloth-folding machine, the combination, with folding means, stationary clothretaining jaws, and: movable cloth-retaining jaw-s cooperating with the stationary j`aws of a single.v fluid-pressure actuated@ sourcefof pressure, means for transmitting: such pressureto both movable jaws solask to pressA them toward the' stationaryV ones, and means independent .of the folding means foi-'effecting alternate application and relief, of: thefsaid pressurel at the opposite pairs ofijaws, in Vproper correlation with theA action ofi-the-folding means. f 6. In a cloth-folding'machine, thecombination with folding4 blades, .oppositeV stationary aws, a movable table having. clothretaining jaws, andaa singlepower-actuated source of pressure of means forxtransmitting'such: pressure tofclose the' respective movable jaws'upon the cloth-folds, means folding blades,

to raise and'lower the table atwill. Y

7. lIn a cloth-folding machine, thek combination with folding blades, opposite pairs of stationaryv and "movable cloth-:holding jaws, and'devices for applyingY pressure to bear the movable jaws towardthe stationary,V

ones, ofV means actuating such Vdevices, to utilize each movable aw VturnasA a'fulcrum or abutment relative fto which said devices are operated to relieve the holding pressure of the opposite movable aw.

8. In a cloth-folding-machine, thecombiy nationwith folding blades, opposite pairs offold-holding-jaws, a single source of pressure, and Imeans through which the pressure acts equally in closingv both pairs ofjaws, of means actuating theV pressuretransmitting means to utilize jaws ofltherespec'tive pairs alternately as fulcra or abutments relative `to which said transmitting means is operated to relieve the holdingl pressure of the opposite pair ofjaws; Y Y

9. In a cloth-folding machine, th'ej'combi-A nationy with folding blades, and opposite pairs of fold-holding jaws,1of1 a source of pressure, transmitting means through whichthe pressure is transmitted along diverging linesto the respective pairs ofjaws, and devices actuating the-saidymeans through vergence of such lines to relieve the holding pressure at the opposite pairs of jaws alternately.

l0. ln a cloth-folding machine, the combination with folding blades, opposite pairs ot' stationary and movable cloth-holding` jaws, and a source of pressure, of devices for transmitting pressure along diverging` lines to the movable jaws of the respective pairs of jaws. and means actuating such devices through connection at or adjacent the point ot convergence of such lines to utilize ezt-:rh movable jaw in turn as a tulcrum or abutment relative to which said devices are operated to relieve the holding` pressure of the opposite movable jaw.

ll. ln a cloth-folding machine, the com bination with folding blades, and opposite pairs of fold-holding jaws, of a source ot pressure, and transmitting means comprising' a lever-arrangement by which the pressure is transmitted alongr different lines to the respective pairs of jaws, and devices actuating the said lever-arrangement to relieve the holding, pressure at the opposite pairs oi' jaws alternately.

l2. In a cloth-toldiing` machine, the combination with folding' blades, and opposite pairs of fold-holding jaws, of a source of pressure, paired bell-cranks to which the pressure is transmitted, connections from the respective bell-cranks to the respective pairs ot' jaws, movable supporting means for the bell-cranks, and means lior actuating said supporting` means to relieve the jaw-pressure o't the respective pairs alternately.

13. ln a cloth-folding' machine, the combination with folding` blades, opposite pairs ot fold-holding jaws. and jaw-operating rockshatts, of paired bell-cranks operatively connected with the said roclshafts, a source ot pressure connected with said bell-cranks, a movable support for the bellcranks, and means tor actuating said support to relieve the jaw-pressure of the respective pairs of jaws alternately.

ln testimony whereof l af'tiX my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

ILLARD I. LEVIS. lVitnesses CHAs. F. RANDALL, ELLEN 0. SPPJNG. 

